


Continually

by Sasa_Q



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: M/M, a bit fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:41:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25929799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sasa_Q/pseuds/Sasa_Q
Summary: Q takes Picard to the Q Continuum, where truly no man has gone before.
Relationships: Jean-Luc Picard/Q
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25
Collections: Star Trek Bingo Summer 2020





	Continually

Q and Picard had often talked about going back to Picard's home in France together. Q had never been to that specific part of Earth before, and although he could go whenever he wanted in the blink of an eye, he would really rather be there with Jean-Luc. Sometimes, Picard would get homesick, and he would tell Q about the vineyards. Q liked listening to Picard talk, the excitement in his eyes when he spoke about something he really cared about. It was sweet. Q always had a hard time admitting that to his face, though.

One thing they never talked about was where Q came from. It was a bit of a difficult matter. The Continuum was both a collection of beings and a place. It wasn't even a place, in the sense of the word. It was hard to even describe. Did Q miss it? Not like how Picard missed France. He could go back to the Continuum whenever he wanted, and he did go. Of course, nowadays, he spent most of his time with Picard on the Enterprise, but he still had time for the Continuum.

While they talked about going to France, they never talked about going to the Continuum. Q supposed it wasn't even a possibility to Picard. Maybe he didn't even recognize that the Continuum could be a place, well, sort of a place, but that didn't matter. But Q wanted that to change. He wanted to take Picard to the Continuum, where truly no man had been before.

So, one day, when the two of them were sitting in Picard's quarters sipping tea, Q asked him, "Do you want me to take you to the Continuum?"

Picard swallowed his gulp of tea and looked back at Q, confused. "The Continuum?" he repeated. "What do you mean?"

"I want to show you the Continuum," Q said, setting down his mug of tea. "Please? It'll be fun. And besides, no human has ever been there before. I'm sure you'll be entertained."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" asked Picard. "Wouldn't the Continuum disapprove?"

Q just laughed. "Of course they would. They're so frightfully conservative. They disapprove of everything I do, especially if it involves you." He paused. "But really, Jean-Luc, wouldn't you like to go?"

"I can't pretend I'm not intrigued," said Picard. "But-"

"Aha! You want to go!" said Q victoriously. "I can tell!"

"But I'm needed here on the Enterprise," said Picard. "I can't just disappear at will like you do."

"I could take us out of linear time," said Q. "It's really very easy, I promise. And painless."

Picard stood. "It would be like no time had ever passed?" he asked. "I wouldn't be putting the ship in danger by being missing?"

"Not at all," said Q. "I'd take us out of time. That means that no time will have passed between the moment I take you away and the moment we return."

Picard considered it. Then he did that funny thing that always made Q laugh when he pulled his shirt down compulsively. "Very well," he said. "Take me to the Continuum."

"Excellent!" Q said. "You won't regret it." He stood and held out a hand to Picard.

"Do I need to take your hand in order for you to take us to the Continuum?" asked Picard.

"No," said Q. "I just like holding hands with you."

Picard shook his head a little, but he was smiling. He took Q's hand. In that moment, both of them vanished from Picard's quarters and appeared in the place Q called home, a place in the stars, a place you couldn't locate on a map. The Q Continuum. To Q, it appeared as a vibrant city, like one of those on Earth, with many tall buildings and busy streets.

"It's so... hostile," said Picard. "So riotous." He looked confused, and maybe a bit disturbed.

"What do you see?" Q asked.

"I see... an enormous courtroom," said Picard. "It's filled with jeering people."

"You're seeing what you want to see," said Q matter-of-a-factly. "It's because of our first meeting that you see the Continuum as a courtroom. Here, I'll make it better." He concentrated for a moment, still holding Picard's hand. The wrinkles on Picard's forehead smoothed. He now saw what Q saw.

"That's better, isn't it?" asked Q.

"It's... lovely," said Picard. "Why does it look like someplace on Earth?"

"That would be because of my debilitating affinity for Terran culture," said Q. "It's really a horrible condition." Picard swatted him on the arm. "Kidding, kidding."

"Are all these people other Qs?" asked Picard, pointing at the people in the streets.

"Yes," said Q. "But don't count on that to be an accurate representation of how much of us there are. Some of us are occupying several forms at once. For example, I could be one hundred people right now if I wanted to. In fact-"

"No, I don't need to see a demonstration," said Picard. "You all look like humanoids. This can't be your true forms, can it?"

"No," said Q. "You wouldn't be able to comprehend our true forms. It would probably drive you mad or kill you. Think of us all, of this entire place, as nothing more than a metaphor."

Picard nodded. "It seems like no one is noticing us."

"That's because we're invisible," said Q. "Unless someone is looking for us, they won't find us. Actually-"

"Q!" came another voice. Q and Picard whirled around and faced a tall, imposing-looking man. He was glaring at the both of them and crossing his muscular arms. "What's this? A mortal? I'd say I can't believe it, but really, it's you. Of course I can believe it."

"You're no fun," said Q. "Jean-Luc, let me introduce you to Q. Q, Jean-Luc Picard."

"Pleased to meet you," said Picard a bit uncomfortably. "I apologize for my intrusion."

"You had better," said the other Q. "Q, I thought I told you to give up your relationship with him."

"Think of how boring my life would be if I took your advice," said Q carelessly.

"Get this mortal out of the Continuum," said the other Q firmly. "Now."

With a flash of bright light, Q and Picard disappeared, and in less than an instant, reappeared in a place that looked a bit like a small apartment. It was crowded with boxes and pieces of broken furniture, and on the walls were hundreds, no, thousands of pictures of what appeared to be stars, planets, starships, and most of all, Picard himself. Pictures of him as he was now, pictures of him as he was during his Starfleet Academy days, and everything in between.

"Q," said Picard, "what is this place?"

"Another metaphor," said Q. "Welcome to my humble abode. I'd tell you to take a seat, but it's a bit messy in here, so we'll have to stand."

"Are we still in the Continuum?" asked Picard.

"We're in my part of the Continuum," said Q. "This is where I go when I want to go home. It's pretty much shielded from the other Qs."

"Pretty much?" Picard repeated.

"They'll find it one day," said Q. "Maybe in a millennia. Who knows?"

"I'm surprised that you have so many pictures of me, and none of you," said Picard.

"Oh, come now, Jean-Luc, I might be a bit vain, but I'm not that vain," said Q. "Also, I happen to like your face better than mine."

"There's nothing wrong with yours," said Picard, and touched Q's face softly.

"Aren't we positively sickening?" Q said, but Picard knew he was just being sarcastic to cover up the fact that he was happy.

"Do you ever miss it here?" asked Picard. "Being home?"

"Not in the way you miss La Barre," said Q. "But yes, I do suppose I miss it. This is where I used to go when I was upset."

"Now, you just go to me," said Picard, his lips curving into a smile.

"I hope you don't mind," said Q. He squeezed Picard's hand.

"Not at all," said Picard. "Why does it smell like my cologne?"

"Oh, you noticed," said Q sheepishly. "I guess I just like the way you smell. How do you like the Continuum?"

"It's... something," said Picard. "The way you see it, as a city, is quite nice. But the way the other Q treated you..."

"They all treat me like that," said Q. "Well, not the one you used to call Amanda Rogers. She understands more than they do. But we don't see each other often. She's still figuring out all her powers. But I digress. Yes, they all treat me like that. I'm somewhat infamous among the Continuum for being a bit of a rebel. Especially now that I'm in a relationship with you. They're furious. It's unprecedented, a Q and a mortal."

"But you don't mind?" Picard asked.

"Of course not," said Q. "I rather like being a rebel. It's very fun."

"But you have to put up with the Continuum looking down on you. Because of me," said Picard. "Isn't it hard?"

"It's worth it," said Q softly.

Just then, there was a knocking on the door of the apartment. "Q! Open up right now! I know you've got that mortal in there with you!"

"Drat," said Q. "Of all times, they had to pick now."

"I thought you said it might be a millennia until they find here!" said Picard.

"Well, that millennia went by very quickly," said Q. "It's a shame, but I'll have to destroy this place and remake it somewhere else. Not the first time this has happened."

"Q, open up!" the voice yelled on the other end of the door.

"They can't get in?" Picard asked.

"For now. I've done some very tricky things to make this place private," said Q. "But now isn't the time to brag about all my security procedures. I know what I'll do. I'll take you someplace even better!"

"Q-" Picard began, but before he could finish his sentence, they disappeared in a flash of bright white light.

When they reappeared, Picard couldn't believe what he was seeing. He and Q were in the middle of open space, just floating, and they were both absolutely enormous, so that the stars were small around them. Constellations were like embroidery in the open space around them, and there were nebulae floating around their bodies. It was like being in the point of view of an enormous, enormous starship. It was absolutely breathtaking, all the different colors, all the stars and planets.

Then Picard looked down and saw that he had no body, no real form. He couldn't see Q, either. "Q," he said, a bit panicked, although relieved that he was still able to communicate, "what have you done?"

"This is how it feels to exist without corporeal form," said Q. "Isn't it fun?"

"This is... incredible!" Picard exclaimed.

"I thought you'd think so," Q said. "I always like doing this. You're probably the first human to ever get this view. I hope you appreciate it. The Continuum will be furious, but I don't care."

"It's beautiful," said Picard. "I could spend a million years here."

"You'd miss the Enterprise," said Q.

"That's probably true," said Picard. "How are we able to talk? I can still hear your voice as if the words are coming from your mouth."

"We're really just thinking at each other," Q said. "It's more complex than that, but I won't get into it."

"It feels... strange," said Picard. "I know it sounds foolish, but I'm having this fear that I won't be able to return to corporeal form."

"It's easy," said Q. "I'll do it for you. I've done it millions of times." For a moment the two of them just appreciated the view. "The only bad thing about being non-corporeal is that I can't kiss you or hold your hand."

"We have plenty of time on the Enterprise for that," said Picard. "At least, if what you said about taking us out of time is true."

"I'd never lie to you!" Q said. "No, that's not true; I've lied to you in the past."

"True," said Picard. He would have smiled at Q, but he had no body.

"But as I recall, you've lied to me too," noted Q.

"Oh?" said Picard. "Name one lie I've told you."

"You lied to me when you said we were just friends," said Q.

Picard laughed. "Yes, I suppose I did. Q?"

"Yes, Jean-Luc?"

"Thank you for taking me here and to the Continuum," said Picard.

"Oh, you've misunderstood me," said Q. "We're looking at the Continuum right now. See, look."

"I can't see anything," said Picard, confused.

"That's because none of the Qs are technically in corporeal form," said Q. "And because the city doesn't actually exist, and neither does my apartment. Like I said before, it's all a metaphor."

"That's incredible," said Picard again. "You know, I don't think I'll ever understand the Continuum."

"You don't have to understand the Continuum," said Q. "Just to understand me."

They stayed there for a while in silence, admiring the galaxy. Comets drifted past. Stars had solar flares. Planets orbited. It was so immensely beautiful. Picard didn't think that, if he ever tried to put it to words, he could describe it.

Eventually, Q said, "We should probably go back to the Enterprise. I can tell you want some of that Earl Grey tea of yours, and you can't drink tea when you don't have a body."

"Just a moment," said Picard. "I want one final look." He tried to take it all in, and failed, but it was all right. He knew he would never really forget this moment. "There. I'm ready to go."

There was a flash of bright white light that surrounded everything, and in less than a moment, Picard found himself standing in his quarters on the Enterprise, Q sitting on his bed.

"That was beautiful," said Picard. "This will make our trip to France seem very dull."

"On the contrary," said Q, "I'm quite used to the Continuum. Being in La Barre will be a lovely change." Q stood from Picard's bed and the two of them met and kissed tenderly, gently, lovingly. Their hands were intertwined together, gripped tight.

They broke apart, and Picard went over to the replicator. "Tea, Earl Grey, hot," he said. "Anything for you, Q?"

"Just you is enough," said Q.

"You're so cliche," said Picard, but he was smiling. He sat down in his chair with his cup of tea and sipped at it. Just the right temperature. "Really, Q, I can't thank you enough. This was really very interesting."

"My pleasure," said Q.

The two of them sat together in silence as Picard drank his tea, Q having summoned a book to read. All was peaceful.

Picard set down his empty cup on the side table. He stood, and made his way over to the bed where Q lay. "Well," he said. "Now that we have corporeal form again, whatever will we do?"

"I have some ideas," said Q.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd be interested to know what you think of my interpretation of the Q Continuum! :)


End file.
